Second Time Around
by marble eyes
Summary: 2045: A chance meeting in a different time and place between two souls who have been apart for way too long.


Ste Hay ran through the streets of Dublin, trying his best not to collapse from stitch. He was late for catering school yet again and he was pretty sure his course leader was looking for any excuse to get rid of him. Who would have thought that Ste Hay from Manchester would gain a place in one of the world's best cookery schools? It had been a long journey and he couldn't have gotten there without his father's help. He stopped suddenly, feeling the phone in his pocket vibrate against his leg.

'Hi!' he said breathlessly, as he answered it.

'You're late again, aren't you?'

Ste blushed hearing his father's amused tone. 'No, I'm there right now waiting to go in.'

'Oh Ste,' he sighed, hearing the lie in his son's voice.

'Don't worry,' said Ste, shifting from one leg to another. 'Cooking's in my blood, innit?'

His attention was caught suddenly by the sea and he felt himself letting out a contented sigh. For a long time he had felt as if something was missing and it seemed Dublin was helping him fill that void in his life. It was just a shame that a part of him seemed intent on messing up his scholarship.

'Your aunt Leah has been asking about you.' said his father, changing the subject.

'How is she?' asked Ste. October was always a hard time for his Dad and aunt, October was the month they had lost their father. He grabbed his wallet out of his pocket and opened it to view an old photograph of his grandfather. Ste always saw that picture as his lucky charm, he had been clutching it when his letter of acceptance to his cookery school had arrived. He looked exactly like his grandfather and apparently even had his laugh.

'She's doing okay, she's always a bit delicate around this time of year.' said his Dad quietly.

'I wish I could have met him,' said Ste softly. His grandfather had died a few months before he was born and a part of him longed to know the man he was named after.

'He was a very sad man. As a kid I remember how he used to be silly and always smiling. It changed after he lost his partner, he was never quite the same again. He smiled but you could tell that it never quite reached his eyes.'

Ste let out a long sigh; his Dad and aunt had always inferred that his grandfather had been a part of some tragic love story, but they had never told him the exact details. He glanced down at his watch and knew he was never going to make it to his class now. Ste made himself focus on what his father was saying.

'I think that's why it's so hard for her, you going. You're so much like him. I mean you look the same, you're gay like he was and you ever cook like him.'

Ste felt himself blush in embarrassment. It always made him feel awkward when the two of them were compared. It always felt as if he was trying to put on shoes that he couldn't possibly fill.

'Any way, I really shouldn't have said all that. I'm just getting a bit emotion, with it being the anniversary tomorrow.'

Ste shifted awkwardly again, he could hear that his father was crying on the other end of the phone. His grandfather's death by cancer had seemed to have broken his two children. According to his Grandma Amy, he had seemed almost content when he found out that he was dying. His two children had fallen apart, but apparently his grandfather's light had got brighter and brighter as he got closer to the end. His last words had apparently been 'I'm coming.' Ste had always wondered what he meant by that.

'Listen, I've really got to go.' he said reluctantly. 'I've got to get to class.'

'Of course.' said his father suddenly. 'Somebody's got to inherit the family business from your Great Uncle Doug.'

They said their goodbyes and instead of going to class, Ste found himself wondering towards the pier instead. A part of him felt unsettled, as if there was business elsewhere that he had left unfinished.

'Ow!' he moaned as he found himself crashing straight into a solid wall of muscle. He felt himself falling backwards, but a strong pair of arms wrapped around him and pulled him close at the last minute.

'You really should watch where your going.' said a playful voice.

Ste opened his eyes and found himself gripping onto a University College Dublin t-shirt. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of leather. His eyes moved up and he found himself staring at a beautiful pair of blue eyes.

'Do I know you?' asked the man suddenly, his face shifting to a confused frown.

Ste pushed himself away from the stranger, feeling a complex array of emotions. 'I think I'd know if I'd met someone with that moustache before.'

The stranger's mouth twitched. 'Bit cheeky, aren't ya?'

Ste tried to stop himself from smiling. 'It's in my genes. Not my fault you bumped into me.'

'I was waiting for someone and then you walked into me.' he said stubbornly.

'Who?' asked Ste, unsure of why on earth he was feeling an unfamiliar wave of jealousy.

The man eyed him for a second. 'What would you say if I said it was you?' a sly smile was working its way across his lips.

Ste rolled his eyes. 'Well I'd say that's quite convenient. But you're out of luck because I'm late as per usual.'

'Funny,' said the man, an playful look in his eyes. 'I think for once you're in the right place at exactly the right time.'

Ste glanced down at his watch and sighed, if he left now he would make his second class. 'Well this has been nice, but I've got to go.' He reluctantly found himself turning, unsure on why he felt suddenly felt angry. It was like a part of him wanting to shout at him for leaving him alone for so long, which was daft when they'd only just met.

'Don't I even get to know your name?' asked the man, his face for a moment openly showed his disappointment.

Ste sighed and turned back to him. 'My Dad told me never to talk to strangers.'

The man's lips twitched beneath his moustache. 'You don't get any stranger than me.'

'My name is Ste.'

The brunette stranger held out his hand. 'Brendan.'

As Ste took his hand he couldn't help but let out a gasp. A delicious type of electricity was working its way through his body, caused by Brendan's touch. For a second he closed his eyes, allowing himself to feel the air around him, which seemed to be crackling with unfinished business and lust.

'Are you sure we haven't met before?' asked Brendan, his voice sounding unsure for the first time.

Ste let go of his hand reluctantly. 'Maybe in some past life or something.' he laughed feebly at his own joke. 'I've got to go.' he allowed himself to drink in the gorgeous stranger's appearance one last time.

'Will I see you again?' asked Brendan.

'Maybe,' said Ste, shooting him a wink.

'I'll look forward to it Steven.'

The two shared a smile, a smile which warmed Ste's insides. He didn't stop smiling all day and all night. Something new was about to begin...


End file.
